Draft-control structure for locomotive engines



Nov. 27 1923 1,475,835

' R. H. KAUTZKY DRAFT CONTROL STRUCTURE FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Filed May 21. 1923 3 INVENTOR fim W ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES RUDOLPH H. KAUTZKY, F DES MOINES, IOWA.

DRAFT-CONTROL STRUCTURE FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES.

Application filed May 21, 1923. Serial No. 640,408.

Toall whom it may concern.

Be it knownthat I, RUDOLPH H. KAU'rzKr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Draft-Control Structure for Locomotive Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has to do with draft control structures for locomotive engines.

It is my purpose to provide in a locomotive engine a combination structure, including an exhaust head of novel and effective construction and a draft control device mounted and arranged in combination with the parts of the engine to cooperate in securing eflicient utilization of exhaust steam in the creating of draft through the fire box and the boiler tubes, a more accurate control of the draft and a consequent greater economy in the consumption of fuel and increased efiiciency in the steaming of the engme.

With this and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the ob ects contemplated are attained, as here nafter more fully set forth, pointed out-1n my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the smoke box at the front end of the locomotive, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section for illustrating the relative arrangement of the exhaust head, the draft regulator and the stack.

Figure 2 shows a top or plan view of the exhaust head.

Figure 3 shows a central vertical, sectional view of the exhaust head.

Figure 4 shows a similar view of the exhaust head with the cover plate removed.

Figure 5 shows a side elevation of the front end of the locomotive, illustrating the opposite side from that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail, plan view of the draft regulator; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the draft regulator taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

In the drawings herewith, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the front end of the locomotive in which is the compartment called the smoke box or smoke arch 11.

The stack 12 extends upwardly from the smoke box and the petticoat 13 extends from the stack downwardly into the smoke box and is formed with the flaring lower end 14.

In the lower part of the smoke box is the exhauststand 15, which affords means for conductlng exhaust steam from. the cylinders to the interior of the smoke box. It will be understood that just back of the smoke box are the boiler and boiler tubes.

In ordinary practice, the gasses or products of combustion pass from the fire box through the boiler tubes into the smoke box and then upwardly through the petticoat 13 and the stack 12 to the atmosphere.

The exhaust steam from the cylinders is' conducted to the interior of the smoke box and discharged upwardly. The exhaust steam serves to carry with it out of the stack the products of combustion.

It is desirable that the jets of exhaust steam at some point in the stack, which varies somewhat, should fill the stack sufficiently to prevent back draft, and to create such a degree of vacuum in the smoke box and fire box as will cause the proper amount of outside air to enter the tire box to insure complete combustion.

A number of different problems are involved in utilizing the exhaust steam and in controlling such use in such manner as to most sufficiently regulate the draft for maintaining a proper and economical rate of combustion for generating the required amount of steam under various working conditions.

I have provided for the efficient control of the draft a special exhaust head, which can be secured to or cast as part of the upper end of the exhaust stand 15. The exhaust head consists of a body having at its lower part an outwardly projecting flange 16, which is bolted to the flange 17 at the upper end of the nozzle stand 15.

The lower part of the body of the exhaust head has a cavity 18, which registers with the opening in the nozzle stand 15, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Extending upwardly from the cavity 18 is a series of equi-distantly spaced passages 19, the outer walls of which overhang the upper end of the stand somewhat, as illustrated.

Between the successive passages 19, this outer wall of the exhaust head is provided with channels 20 affording passageways for combustion gases.

The passages 19 at their inner parts have a common wall 22, which forms a passage or opening 23 leading from the cavity 18 to the upper end of the exhaust head and open at both ends.

The upper interior of the passage 23 is screw-threaded as at 24 for the purpose of providing means for the applioatlon of a closure plug 24 or a bus-hing to regulate to a degree, the combined area of the openings for thus altering the pressure and velocity of the exhaust jets.

The wall 22 projects upwardly above the level of the outer walls of the passages 19 and has on its exterior an annular shoulder 25 level with the outer walls of said passages 19.

A removable pipe 26 might be screwed into the upper end of the passage 23- and projected upwardly into the stack to a desired height for altering the effectiveness of the central jet of exhaust steam and the discharge of the exhaust gases. 4

I provide for the upper end of the exhaust head a cove-r plate resting on said upper end and on the shoulder 25, which plate is indicated at 27 and is shaped with the alternate projecting portions 28, as shown in Figure 2.

At the outer ends of the projecting portions 28, the plate 27 is provided with a number of nozzles or orifices 29 spaced equidistantly around the center passage 23. The orifice openings 29 in the plate 27 are inclined from. the vertical line parallel with the center line of the stack to a degree as may be required in accordance with the diame-trioal size of the stack so as to guide the jets of exhaust steam discharging from the openings 29 to fill the stack to the required extent at a point up in the stack where the lifting and entraining action of these steam jets will be most effective'in creating the desired dratt with the lowest possible velocity of discharge of the exhaust gases to resultin a free steaming boiler. This, I find, to be an important feature of construction as it provides a structure wherein the exhaust steam can be made to fill a stack of small or large size at the proper point therein for most efiiciently producing the desired vacuum in the smoke box.

My invention, of course, has to do with that system of locomotive construction in which the exhaust steam from the cylinders is used in the smoke box and stack for the entrainment of exhaust combustion gases, and air and smoke drawn through the fire box and boiler tubes for the purpose of oreating draft with an action similar in some respects to that of the steam injector.

In order to secure maximum efficiency in the control of the exhaust steam for the entrainment of combustion gases according to the needs of the fire, it is desirable that cerfore desirable that the surface area of the.

steam jets exposed to contact with the combustion gases should be enlarged and the velocity reduced for carrying out a maximum volume of gases of' combustion without pulling holes in the fire bed.

I find that with this exhaust head, the noise of the exhaust is considerably reduced. This is important in towns and cities.

In providing a combination of the kind herein under consideration, it is, of course, desirable to construct the various parts in such a way that they may be easily adapted to different sizes of locomotives, Where the construction of the locomotive may vary the circumstances under which the combination is used.

In the instance of this exhaust heads adaptability to different circumstances is secured by the use of the detachableplate 27, which is connected with the exhaust head body proper by means of screw bolts 30. It is obvious that any particular plate 27 may be removed and another plate having nozzles or orifices 29 of slightly different size or different inclination may be substituted or the inclination and size in the same plate 27 may be altered to suit the requirement.

It is also obvious that under some circumstances, the plug 24: may be used for closing the passages 23.

Ordinarily. the passages 23 may be left opened or if it seems desirable the pipe 26 hereinbefore referred to may be used.

It will thus be seen that in view of the structure just explained, this exhaust head may be easily made adaptable to such circumstances as may arise in connection with the operation of a locomotive or with the assembling of the nozzle on locomotives of different kinds or conditions.

I find that an exhaust head of the kind herein shown, which gives the most efficient utilization of the exhaust steam under certain conditions of operation, should be used in an engine structure of this kind herein explained in combination with a draft regulator, whereby under certain circumstances, atmospheric air may be admitted to the smoke box in such amounts as may be de sired for reducing the vacuum to prevent rapid combustion when not needed.

I have shown the side of the smoke box 10 provided with an o ning 31 surrounded by an outwardly pro ectin flange 32. A draft regulator plate 33 is pivoted by means of a bot or pin 34 to serve as a closure means for the opening 31. The draft regulator 33 is on the outside of the smoke box and when in its closed position fits with a snug joint against the flange 32.

A steel spring 35 mounted on the bolt 34 presses against the outer surface of the regulator 33 for maintaining a tight joint between the draft regulator and the flange 32.

Pivoted to the pin or the like 36 on the regulator 33 is a controlling rod 37 extending rearwardly preferably to the firemans side of the cab.

In the practical use of the combination structure herein set forth, the exhaust steam from the cylinders passes upwardly to the stand 15 through and to the exhaust head. The jet of upwardly moving steam divides and passes through the passages. 19, which in the instance shown are five in number, and thus isdivided into five jets, which emerge throu h the nozzle or orifices 29 in the plate 27. 6ne jet of steam emerges from a central passage 23 except where this passage is closed by a plug.

The inclination of the nozzles or orifices 29 tend to incline these jets of steam slightly inwardly or outwardly as may be required in accordance with the size of the stack. This is a desirable result which is attained from the construction shown.

It will be noted that with the arrangement of the exhaust head herein shown, each jet of steam passing upwardly from the nozzles or orifices 29 serves to draw with it a certain amount of the combustion gases and some of these gases pass upwardly in the space between the steam jets, and I find that this construction is very'eflicient in the entrainment of the products of combustion for carrying them upwardly to and out of the stack and .thus creating a good draft through the fire box and the boiler tubes.

The arrangement of the exhaust head for combustion gases is increased, thus giving better control of the draft.

-I find, however, that even with this exhaust head, there are times when the draft created is too strong, and I have therefore made a combination structure, having a draft regulator, so that when the draft becomes too strong, the draft regulator may be opened to any desired degree for allowing air to enter the smoke box and thus reduce the flow of air through the fire which pesilllts in a more economical combustion of This combination of the exhaust head and draft regulator enables the engineman to control the fire and draft much more accurately than has been done before.

The equipment has been placed on several engines, and shows better control of the fire and a substantial improvement in the free steaming of the engines with a consequent saving of fuel.

I find also that with the more accurate control of the draft, the wear on the boiler tubes is reduced.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a locomotive having a smoke box at its front end, a stack above the smoke box, and an exhaust stand, with an exhaust head having a passage communicatin with the stand, and a plurality of space% passages leading upwardly through said exhaust head, said spaced passages being arranged in a circle of desired diameter spaced evenly from each other, a cover plate for said exhaust head having orifices arranged over said spaced passages and directed at a desired angle in accordance with the size of the stack, and a draft regulator mounted on the side of the smoke box for.

controlling the admission of air thereto.

, 2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a locomotive having a smoke box at its front end, a stack above the smoke box and exhaust stand with an exhaust head having a passage communicating with the stand, and a plurality of spaced passages leading upwardly through said exhaust head, said spaced passages being arranged in a circle spaced from each other, a cover plate for said exhaust head, having orifices arranged over said spaced passages and directed at a desired angle in accordance with the size of the stack, and a draft regulator mounted on the side of the smoke box for controlling the admission of air thereto.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 9, 1923.

RUDOLPH H. KAUTZKY 

